Browsing by Author "Hannouf, Marwa Bassam"

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    A Triple-Bottom Line Decision-Analysis Framework Using Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: The Case of Large Greenhouse Gas Emitters in Alberta, Canada
    (2018-08-28) Hannouf, Marwa Bassam; Assefa, Getachew; Keough, Noel; Herremans, Irene M.; Gates, Ian Donald; Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie
    In light of the increased environmental awareness and stringent environmental regulations, there is need to guide businesses to stay competitive while meeting environmental compliance. Sustainability strategies will reduce the environmental burden of companies while increasing their economic and social benefits. However, integrating the three dimensions of sustainability in companies’ decision-making (DM) to develop sustainability strategies is associated with complexity. This thesis takes the context of large greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters given the urgency of the climate change problem and the awareness of reducing GHG emissions to fulfill expectations from global climate change agreements such as the Paris Agreement. Using case studies among large GHG emitters in Alberta, Canada, the objective of this research was to examine the potential utility of the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) approach to guide companies’ DM in developing sustainability strategies that can reduce their environmental impacts while achieving the remaining of sustainability goals. As LCSA approach is still an emerging field, the first part of this thesis has focused on the method of LCSA following UNEP/SETAC guidelines by addressing some of its challenges. The research has applied two LCSA case studies among large GHG emitters in Alberta, where a new subcategory assessment method for social life cycle assessment approach is developed and starting holistic analysis of LCSA results is presented. The second part has focused on the application of LCSA to support sustainability-oriented DM, where an LCSA-based decision-analysis framework is developed to guide decision-makers in systematic and structured way to analyze the interrelationships between LCSA results and propose potential sustainability solutions. The thesis contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the development of LCSA approach by addressing some of its challenges. The evaluation conducted in this research for LCSA-based decision-analysis framework has indicated that LCSA with its systematic and life cycle perspective has the potential to provide improved information on the sustainability problems in product systems, which is going to increase the potential to develop sustainability solutions. The framework presents different advantages, but is as well associated with challenges especially regarding its application in real world.